- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Austria · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- No confirmed legal basis recorded.
- Privacy topics
unknown data subject – Court Ruling (Austria, 2020)
Privacy enforcement record
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An Austrian court ruled that Google did not provide a user with full access to his data as required by data protection rules. The user requested access to his data but was asked to log into his account instead. This case highlights the importance of companies ensuring users can easily access their personal data.
What happened
Google Inc. failed to provide a user with complete access to his personal data as requested.
Who was affected
A user who requested access to his personal data processed by Google.
What the authority found
The court found that Google violated data protection rules by not giving the user access to all his data and related information.
Why this matters
This ruling emphasizes that companies must comply with access requests and provide users with complete information about their data. Businesses should ensure their data access processes are clear and user-friendly.
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Linked-source text retrieved.
Automated check recorded — 20 March 2026.
Processing notes: national law identified, authority corrected.
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= On 30.10.2015, the data subject (user) sent an access request under § 26 DSG 2000 to Google Inc. (now Google LLC) via registered letter, including a copy of his passport. The user requested access to all his data processed by Google Inc. (Note: § 26 DSG 2000 used to be the Austrian provision for access requests prior to 25.05.2018.) On 22.12.2015, Google Inc. replied, asking the user to log into his Google-Account to access all data processed in the account and additional information on the processing. The user refused to log into his account For data that could not be accessed from the user's account, Google asked him to use an online form accessible from the Google account, to make sure that the user would only receive personal data that are truly relating to him (and not some other natural person). The user refused to do so. = On 01.02.2016, the user filed a complaint against Google Inc. with the Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) claiming that Google had violated his right to access under § 26 DSG 2000 (now Article 15 GDPR) - inter alia by requesting him to log into his Google account and to use an online form in order to gain access to his data. On 24.02.2020, in the course of the pending DSB-procedure, Google Inc. communicated again with the user, asking him to log into his Google account for authentication. On 15.06.2016, that DSB issued its decision that consisted of three rulings: I) The DSB held, that Google Inc. violated Article 15 GDPR by not providing *access to the user's data that has been processed outside the user's Google account; *certain information on data recipients and data sources as far as those information cannot be accessed in the user's Google account; *information on automated decision making; *information on the purpose and the legal basis of the processing and *information on data processors. II) The DSB ordered Google Inc. to provide this missing data/information within 4 weeks. III) Lastly, the DSB rejected parts of the user
Outcome
Court Ruling
A ruling by a national court on a data-protection matter.
Related Cases (1)
Other cases involving unknown data subject in AT
Details
Ruling Date
11 September 2020
Authority
Datenschutzbehörde
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. unknown data subject - Austria (2020). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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